These Smart Robotic Suitcases Kinda Remind Us of BB-8

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Science fiction stories have long promised us a future where robots do the menial tasks for us. While we’re a long way from that living out that vision of tomorrow, self-driving cars have inched closer to becoming a viable option. Now, even our suitcases may get a robo upgrade that’s the next best thing to owning your own droid.

Via The Economist, Piaggio Fast Forward is developing Gita, a suitcase fitted with a pair of large wheels that kind of reminds us of BB-8 from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The Gita may not have the personality or the charmingly emotive face of BB-8, but it can hold just under 40 pounds and follow its owner at speeds of up to 22 mph. And while Gita will rarely be called upon to move that quickly, it can keep pace with its human owners by following an electronic device that can be worn on a belt. That device actually has a camera attached to it that will help the Gita map out its surrounding area and help it follow the owner through doors and around corners.

Piaggio is currently testing the Gita in several cities across the U.S., but it doesn’t appear to be quite ready for the consumer market at this time. Still, it would be much better than carrying around a regular suitcase. According to The Economist, several companies are also developing similar robo suitcases for urban deliveries, and they would probably be easier to pull off than Amazon’s ambition to make a drone delivery fleet. As the story points out, there are very few regulations regarding devices like the Gita; which may give the companies less to worry about.

If these devices become widely used, it will probably mean that we’ll be sharing the sidewalks with these robots in the future. But as long as they don’t have arms, hands, or even minds of their own, we should be safe from a robot uprising. At least that’s what Skynet wants us to think.

What do you think about Gita? Roll out and share your thoughts in the comment section below!